1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to novel compositions and the use of the same as bactericides, fungicides, algicides, nematocides, and soil fumigants in industry and agriculture. More particularly, the present invention relates to compositions comprising alkali-metal salts of dithiocarbamic acids and the pesticidal use thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A great number of dithiocarbamic acid salts have been described in the chemical literature as commercial, industrial, and agricultural microbicides and nematocides. Fungicidal dithiocarbamic acid derivatives are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,084,095. Salts of dithiocarbamic acids are also described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,589,209 and 2,609,389. In our copending U.S. application Ser. No. 246,961, of which this application is a continuation-in-part, we described compounds characterized as the reaction products of (1) C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 alkylaldehydes, (2) ammonia, primary C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 monoalkylamines, or primary C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 alkylenediamines, and (3) alkali-metal or alkaline-earth-metal salts of dithiocarbamic acid, of N-C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 alkyldithiocarbamic acid, or an N,N'-C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 alkylenebisdithiocarbamic acid. These compounds were shown to have greater effectiveness against microorganisms and nematodes than did the dithiocarbamic acid salts themselves. Nevertheless, there has been a continuing need for pesticidal compositions of enhanced activity and long term stability.